BANGALORE BANISHES BIRDS - INSIGHT INDIA

In Juhu, Bombay, in '85, we woke up to the merry racket of a thousand sparrows in a bushy tree. Bulbuls fluted bubbly tunes in the peepul opposite our window. And the green of little coppersmiths flitted among the tree's leaves. Gangs of plump mynas hopped around on the grass, pecking breakfast, shrieking like kids at play.

We came to Bangalore that year. The town was much greener than Bombay. But there were fewer birds. Many trees here were ornamental, not the kind bearing the fruits birds like.

So what's the scene like today in globalized Bangalore? There's not a single sparrow to be seen. On a lucky day you may hear a lone bulbul fluting. If you walk around a while you may see a myna. Not in a noisy, playful group. Just one or a pair. They are not plump any more. They look thin. Starved. And they rarely make a sound. At best, a feeble cheep.

The number of glass buildings and big cars are growing by the day in Bangalore. But the city has banished birds. No, that's not the whole truth. You will see a lot more crows than before. And that's because there's a lot more garbage lying on the roadsides.

Sorry, these lines are not funny. Maybe they are sad. And if this is the way globalization is going, maybe there's a lot more sadness awaiting those who are celebrating today. (For more INDIA INSIGHT stories see www.myspace.com/india_realities)